Valeska studied him for a moment.
Something felt... off, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.
Priest Aldren emanated a profoundly unsettling presence.
It felt as if she were standing before a demon.
She furrowed her brows and glanced at her older sister.
Oddly, her older sister seemed perfectly fine, unaffected.
'Is it just me?'
'If so, then…'
'No no no'
Valeska shook her head, closing her eyes.
'It's probably just lack of sleep'
"You should sit before we talk." She said
She sighed.
"Please, make it quick. I'm sleepy, and I want to go to bed."
"Very well."
The corner of Priest Aldren's lips curled into a smile.
He walked towards the chair beside Lysette.
"May I sit here, Lady Lysette?" Priest Aldren asked.
"Please. I don't mind."
"Thank you."
He sat down and folded his arms on the table.
Valeska clapped her hands.
The door opened, and a maid entered.
"May I assist you, Your Majesty?" the maid asked.
"Please prepare three cups of tea, not too sweet."
Valeska commanded.
The maid nodded.
She bowed, then left the hall.
Valeska shifted her gaze from the door to Priest Aldren.
She could feel that unsettling presence growing stronger.
She felt an urge to leave the hall, to get away from Priest Aldren.
But as a queen, she had to hold it together.
She had to maintain her dignity.
"So, what did you want to talk about?"
Valeska asked.
Priest Aldren had come all this way just to see her.
He must really want to discuss something important.
"I wish to discuss the construction of an additional church in the northern part of Glazareth." Priest Aldren said.
"So you want my permission?"
"Yes, but that's not the main topic."
"Oh? Just a casual conversation then?"
"...No. It's not just casual, but the additional church construction is related to the main topic."
"What is it?"
"Would you be willing to send additional manpower for the additional church construction? And… send 100 additional people to pray at the northern church?"
"What for?"
"We lack manpower to build a few more churches, and… I simply want to make the northern church more crowded with an additional 100 people."
Valeska frowned.
She had already sent a significant amount of manpower to northern Glazareth.
Was it still not enough?
She had previously sent 500 workers there, just in case additional churches needed to be built.
That was more than enough to build ten churches.
And the population in northern Glazareth was huge.
500,000 souls.
Maybe not all of them would go to church to pray.
But…
At least a significant portion would, right?
She grew suspicious of him.
Not only was his presence unsettling, but his request was also strange.
What is he really thinking?
Despite her outward appearance, she was highly vigilant.
She had to consider her actions carefully before acting.
But she mustn't be aggressive.
Her suspicion might be growing, but that didn't mean it was justified
He was the most prominent priest in Glazareth.
It's impossible for him to do anything strange… right?
"Are you—"
She hadn't even finished her sentence when the door suddenly opened.
A maid entered, carrying a teapot and three cups on a tray.
"Excuse me," she said, walking towards the table.
"Here you go, Your Majesty, as requested."
"...Alright, thank you. You can put it on the table." Valeska said.
The maid nodded, placed it on the table, and left the hall.
Valeska filled each cup with tea, placing them before Priest Aldren and Lysette.
"This conversation will go better with something warm. Please enjoy," she said.
"Thank you, sorry for the trouble."
"No problem. So, you want me to send additional manpower and 100 people to pray at the northern church?"
Valeska sipped her tea.
"May I know why? Didn't I already send 500 workers there in case of additional church constructions?"
"That's true, but… they all disappeared."
Valeska's eyes widened slowly.
"Disappeared?"
"Yes."
Valeska clenched her fist.
Her jaw tightened.
Rage surged through her.
She had a pretty good idea who was behind this.
'The rebels!'
Those 500 workers must have joined the rebels and become part of them.
Damn bastards!
Those rebels deserved excruciating torture before they died.
They wreaked havoc in Glazareth, even almost committing genocide.
'Die, die, die!'
The rebels had to be wiped out.
No mercy.
It was time to crush every last one of them.
"Sister," call her
"What is it?"
"Please call Mother and Drevic here."
"...Understood, alright."
Lysette finished her tea and left the hall.
Valeska sipped her tea.
Her expression changed.
Knowing that the 500 workers she sent north had disappeared completely angered and enraged her.
If those rebels were caught, she would ensure they experienced the most excruciating pain of their lives.
The rebels had fled Glazareth after attempting a second genocide.
Bastards.
Trash.
Pests.
They deserved to be killed and chopped alive.
The mastermind behind the rebellion was still unknown.
Some said it was a mysterious man who arrived by ship a few months ago.
But according to information and investigation, no foreign ships had sailed here in the past few months.
That was enough to prove it was a lie.
And the mysterious man was just a fabrication spread by the rebels.
Three months ago, she had sent people to investigate the mastermind.
But there were no results.
The mastermind behind this rebellion was incredibly difficult to find.
She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.
As a queen, she couldn't act rashly.
She had to take wise steps.
If she made the wrong move, the rebels' plan for genocide would succeed.
Feeling better, she sipped her tea, then looked at Priest Aldren with a serious expression.
"How long ago did the 500 workers I sent there disappear?" she asked.
"Perhaps about 4 months ago."
"..."
Only one month difference since the rebels planned the first genocide.
The timing wasn't far off.
Her suspicion that the 500 workers had joined the rebels grew stronger.
Inevitable.
"So, Your Majesty?"
Priest Aldren sipped his tea.
"Will you agree with me?"
Valeska didn't respond.
She pondered for a moment before finally making a decision.
"I will send 100 additional workers and 100 additional people to pray at the northern church."
Priest Aldren reacted.
He finished his tea and bowed.
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for accepting my ridiculous request. Sorry for the trouble."
"...It's alright. Consider it payment for your good work in northern Glazareth."
"Understood."
"I've brought them."
Suddenly, Lysette entered the hall, bringing two people behind her.
To her right was a woman who shared similar features with Valeska and Lysette.
Beside her was a man with dark blue hair and golden eyes, wearing armor and carrying a sword at his waist.
Valeska rose from her chair and ran towards them.
"Mother, Drevic," she said.
"What is it, Valeska? Why did you call us here?" her mother, Elowen, asked.
"I—"
Valeska hadn't finished her sentence when Darnel suddenly ran into the hall.
"Your Majesty!" he said firmly.
Valeska turned and replied.
"Darnel? What is it?"
"I just returned from training and went back to the torture chamber. But that man… still won't tell anything."
"Which man are you referring to?"
"The one I interrogated, the man we previously discussed, whom I suspect is one of the rebels."
Valeska's expression darkened at Darnel's words.
She clenched her fists and walked decisively out of the hall.
"Mother, Drevic, wait here, I'll be right back," she said before leaving the hall.
Her anger truly erupted.
'What is that man actually doing?'
'What else is he waiting for to reveal the location of the other rebels?'
'Does he want to die?'
'If that's what he wants, I'll grant it!'
Valeska quickened her pace.
She would beat that man until he revealed the rebels' location.
If he still refused, then… she would truly kill him.
Upon arriving, she saw several soldiers who looked like Darnel's men sitting with weapons in their hands.
She approached them with a strong intent to kill.
Darnel's men reacted to Valeska's murderous intent.
They flinched at the sight of Valeska approaching them.
Their hearts pounded as if they were about to burst.
Their muscles tensed, their bodies froze, unwilling to move.
"Why haven't you made that man talk yet!"
Valeska yelled, kicking them one by one until they crashed hard against the wall.
"Useless bastards!"
"W-We're sorry… We tried our best… But… that man refuses to tell the truth."
One of the soldiers tried to get up, holding his head and chest.
Valeska frowned.
"Where is he?" she asked.
The soldier stood up, weakly pointing towards a corner of the room.
Valeska looked, then walked towards him.
The man wasn't clearly visible due to the poor lighting in the room.
She created an ice crystal and channeled mana into it until it emitted light.
Now, the man was clearly visible.
Black hair, red eyes, a body full of wounds, and a mouth constantly bleeding, lying helpless in the corner of the room.